Translator(s):

Compiler(s):

Category:

Topic Tags:

ISBN 1-894701-12-7
The full title of this book is Nawadir al Akhbar fima Yatal `aqu biusul ad Dini, written by Faidh al Kashani, research by Mahdi Ansari, printed by the Research Department of the Faculty of Humanities, Tehran, 1376

Featured Category:

Person Tags:

Preface

The Prophet of Islam (S) began his historical night journey, along with the trusted protector of the revelation, the Angel Jibra'il from the house of Umm al ­Hani, the daughter of his uncle and sister of Amir al‑Mo'minin 'Ali (a.s.) in the blessed city of Makkah. With the aide of his steed al‑Buraq, he traveled to Bayt al‑Muqaddas, which (at that time) was located in the country of Jordan and is also known as Masjid al‑Aqsa (the Furthest Masjid). He disembarked at this place and in a very short period of time, visited various places inside the Masjid ‑ including Bayt al‑Laham, the birthplace of `Isa al‑Masih (a.s.), in addition to the houses and other important places of the various Prophets. In some of these places, he even recited a two Rak`at Salat.

In the next stage (of his journey) he traveled from this spot to the heavens, where he was witness to the celestial bodies and the entire universe. He spoke with the spirits of the (previous) Prophets and the Angels; he saw from very close both Paradise and Hell; and the various stages and levels of the people of Paradise and those in Hell. It was these unknowns of the creation, the secrets of the origin of the Universe, the expanse of the world of creation, and the unlimited power of Allah the Highest, that he was given complete knowledge of.

Subsequently, he continued on with his journey until he reached to the region known as Sidratul ' Muntaha, a place that was covered in grandeur and magnificence. It was from this same path that he traversed that he returned, and upon coming back, once again visited to Bayt al‑Muqaddas, proceeded on to Makkah and then to his home. On the return trip, he came across a trade caravan from the tribe of the Quraish who during their journey had lost one of their camels which they were searching for. The Prophet (S) drank from the water that the people of the caravan had with them and by the rising of the morning sun, reached back to the house of Umm al‑Hani.

Upon his return, the Prophet (S) told Umm al‑Hani of the secrets (that he saw) and that evening, in a gathering of the people of the Quraish, lifted all the curtains of the secrets of the Mi’raj and his journey and opened their minds to this event. The word of his travels spread from mouth to mouth amongst all the groups, and now more than ever, the Quraish were upset (with him).

The Quraish, as was their old‑time habit, belied the Prophet (S) and in the gathering, a man stood up and asked if there was anyone in Makkah who has seen Bayt al‑Muqaddas so that he could ask the Prophet (S) in regards to the physical building. Not only did the Prophet (S) describe the physical particularities of Bayt al ­Muqaddas, rather, he even informed them of the event that took place between Makkah and Bayt al‑Muqaddas ‑ and it was not long after that the travelers (of that caravan) reported the exact events (as had occurred).

"Glorified be He who carried His servant at night from Masjid al­ Haram to Masjid al‑Aqsa, the precincts of which We have blessed so that We may show him of Our Signs. Verily He is the All­ Hearing, the All‑Seeing. " 1

From this verse, we come to the conclusion that the Prophet of Islam (S) traveled with his physical body through the worlds of Ascension. Further, by the greatness of the Hidden Power, he was able to complete this journey in a very short span of time.

Allah (SWT) starts His speech with the phrase (سبحان) which denotes the fact that Allah (SWT) is free from all deficiencies ‑ but He does not stop here. Rather, He makes the ascension the reason for His greatness by saying `made to travel' (أسرى) so that others do not imagine that the means of this journey was through causes of the natural world and with normal, ordinary means of transportation. This would have made his journey something that could have been denied. Rather, this journey was accomplished by relying upon the power of Allah (SWT) and His specific and special blessings.

Although this verse states that the start of the journey was from Masjid al‑Haram and ended at Masjid al Aqsa, this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet (S) in addition to this trip, also had other trips towards the higher world, since another part of the journey of Ascension of the Prophet (S) is explained in verses of Sarah al‑Najm.

Another important part of this verse is that the journey of the Prophet (S) was both bodily and spiritually, not just a spiritual pilgrimage, and this is confirmed by the word (بعبده) meaning His servant which is used to mean both the body and the spirit. Had it not been so, He would have said (بروحه) meaning his (Muhammad's) soul only. In Surah al‑Najm, the event of the Mi’raj is explained in more detail.

From the time the Prophet Muhammad (S) told the Quraish, `I saw the angel of revelation (when he received the first revelation) in his original and pure state', all the Quraish rose up to mock him.

The Qur'an, in response to the thoughts of the ignorant people replies:

"Will you then argue with him about what he saw? He certainly saw him (Jibra'il) during his other asc2ent to the Lote‑tree (in the seven heavens) near which is Paradise. When the tree was covered with a covering, (Muhammad's) eyes did not deceive him, nor did they lead him to falsehood. He certainly saw the greatest (signs) of the existence of his Lord. " 2

The date of the Mi’raj of the Prophet of Islam (S) has been recorded by two major Muslim historians, Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham, as being in the 10th year of Bi`thah (appointment to Prophethood). The great Muslim historian, Baihaqi has recorded this event as occurring in the 12th year of Bi'thah. Others have mentioned it as occurring in the beginning of the Bi'thah, and some mentioned it as being between these two dates.

Sometimes, to rationalize between these different views, it is has been said that the Prophet of Islam (S) went on the Mi’raj more than once. However, it should be mentioned that that Mi’raj in which the daily Salat was made incumbent, without doubt, occurred before the death of Abu Talib, who passed away in the 10th year of Bi'thah. Unmistakably, from the ahadith and books of history, it is mentioned that on the night of Mi’raj, Allah (SWT) gave the order of the five daily Salat as being mandatory upon the Islamic Nation.

It has been an on‑going discussion and debate for hundreds of years concerning the method of travel of the Holy Prophet (S) during the Mi’raj. Many things have been said regarding this journey and its being physical or only spiritual even though from the Qur'an and the ahadith there is no doubt that it was a physical ascension.

However, one problem from the point of view of science prevented some people in believing the reality and thus, the Mi’raj of the Prophet of Islam (S) was recorded as being simply spiritual. Another group went a step further and believed that this complete event was simply a dream and that the Prophet (S) experienced the Mi’raj during his sleep!

However, the response of the Quraish, after hearing about the Mi’raj of the Prophet (S) clearly shows that the journey through the different worlds was not something that was seen in a dream because then it would have had no meaning and if the Quraish could have just called the dream of the Prophet (S) a lie and they would not have created all the commotion (that they did).

Others have said that the Mi’raj of the Prophet (S) was nothing more than spiritual in meaning and it was because his deep contemplation and thought for the creations of Allah (SWT), the witnessing of the greatness and beauty of His creations, and his being entirely submerged in the thought and remembrance of the Truth, and thus, the physical restrictions and spiritual closeness (that the Prophet (S) encountered) are beyond explanation.

However, this type of spiritual ascension and closeness is something that anyone with a clear conscience and pure heart can attain. Nevertheless, the Qur'an relates that this distinct ascension of the Prophet (S) is one of the peculiarities of the Noble Prophet (S) and this trip which he was taken through was something extra­ordinary, since many a nights did the Prophet of Islam (S) experience a state of spiritual ascension and closeness (to his Creator), whereas this physical Ascension was one that took place on a particular night.

It must be mentioned that the Greek hypothesis which was put forth by Bartholomew, who for close to two thousand years was well recognized in the scientific circles of the east and west, also fell into error. He was of the belief that all physical entities that exist in this world are of two divisions: elemental and celestial. By elemental he meant the four known elements which are: water, ground, wind and fire. The first sphere that comes to our attention is the sphere of the ground, which is the center of the universe. After that, it is the sphere of water, followed by that of the wind, and the fourth, is that of the fire. Each of these four spheres are related to the other. It is from here that the spheres come to an end and the celestial bodies start.

The meaning of the celestial bodies are the nine celestial planes, which just like the various skins of an onion, are related to one another but do not have the ability of tearing nor becoming united (as one). There is not a single creature which by its own leave is able to traverse within these boundaries, since this would call for the separation of the levels of the celestial bodies.

Since the physical Mi’raj involved travelling upwards from this world, and passing through the four levels of the elemental world and then piercing through the celestial boundaries ‑ one after the other until all four had been split, and since this act was not correct according to the scientific beliefs of the Greeks, thus the physical Mi’raj too was not possible (according to the theory of Bartholomew).

In reality, this theory held weight for that time period in which the hypothesis of Bartholomew had strength and a following. Fortunately, his ideas which were completely baseless, have been made apparent today and have lost all of their value.

The same goes for the scientists who study Natural Science and try to find a tangible reason for everything that happens and for every event that occurs and who look for a natural or scientific consequence ‑ their ideas too have lost their value. Similarly, those people who accepted the hypothesis of Bartholomew were at the forefront of denying the Mi’raj of the Prophet (S) and thought that the heavenly journey went against the scientific and natural laws of today ‑ natural laws such as: the law of gravity of the earth; its speed of travel of 25,000 miles per hour; the weightlessness of an object that is outside of the airspace of earth; the fact that it is not possible to breathe the air that is outside our atmosphere; the various cosmic rays; meteorites and air pressure; and the speed of light that goes at the speed of approximately 300,000 kilometers a second; and other such examples.

Fortunately however, it must be known that through scientific research and investigation, the space scientists of the East and the West, by launching the very first rocket in the year 1957, named Sputnik, were able to demonstrate to mankind with ease, that they could overcome such problems as the gravitational pull, cosmic rays, problems with breathing in space, and others, through various technologically designed and built equipment and instruments.

Even today, the space science research is ever increasing and the scientists and researchers are confident that in a matter of time, they will be able to place life on one of the planets in our solar‑system; just as today, they have opened up the exploration to the moon and the planet Mars.

These scientific progresses and advancements in technology and industry are a clear proof that such a celestial travel (that of the Prophet of Islam (S) on the night of Mi’raj) is possible and can not be classified as something that was impossible.

That which is certain and in which there can be no doubt is the fact that everything mankind can do today through various human­ created ways and means, the Prophets were able to perform by the grace of Allah (SWT) and without the apparent and external means.

Therefore, we see that the Prophet of Islam (S) by the will of Allah (SWT) was taken on the Mi’raj, and all that exists in it belongs to Him and He is the designer and fashioner of this amazing and perfectly arranged system. It is He who has given the earth its' gravitational pull, has given the sun its cosmic rays, and it is He who has given the air its various levels; and anytime He wants to, He is able to take all of these back and put a halt to them all. Also, it must be known that in reference to miracles, natural events and the power of mankind, all of these are independent issues and never can the infinite power of Allah (SWT) be compared to the limited power and ability of mankind.

Bringing alive those who are dead, converting a staff into a snake, splitting the moon, keeping alive the Prophet Yunus in the belly of a whale in the depths of the ocean, and many other miracles such as these which have been mentioned in other heavenly books, confirm the fact that no uncertainty can be placed on the Mi’raj of the Prophet (S).

Thus, all of the natural occurrences and all the external obstacles were demolished and conquered by the intention of the Maintainer of the Universe. His will and intention are not only limited to issues that are impossible ‑ rather, any time that He wishes to perform any action, He is able to ‑ whether mankind has the ability to perform it or not.

Further, that person, who in recognizing Allah (SWT) has reached to that level of true cognizance of his Creator and the attributes and characteristics which are exclusive to Him, and who recognizes Allah (SWT) as the One who is Eternal, Ever‑Lasting and the All‑Powerful Creator whose power and intention is above all things, will much more quickly accept (these facts and occurences). Other people (who have not reached to that level of cognizance of their Creator), through a little bit of study and research and with a deep and precise understanding along with the correct outlook on the world too will accept and acknowledge the truth.

The treatise of the Mi’raj according to the narration of Faidh al‑Kashani, which is in your hands is a collection of traditions taken from the speech of Imam Ja'far as‑Sadiq (peace be upon him) as compiled by the late Muhaddith and great Philosopher and Thinker Faidh al‑Kashani as taken from his well known book, "Nawadir al‑Akhbar" 3 which is a collection of ahadith on the topic of Usul ad­Din.

3. The full title of this book is Nawadir al‑Akhbar fima Yatal `aqu biusul ad‑Dini, written by Faidh al‑Kashani, research by Mahdi Ansari, printed by the Research Department of the Faculty of Humanities, Tehran, 1376

All praise belongs solely to Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds, the Fashioner of all the Creations. And prayers of Allah be upon our Master Muhammad and his family ‑ the Righteous and the Pure, especially al‑Imam al‑Muntazar al‑Mahdi, Sahib az‑Zaman, may the best greetings and salutations be upon him and may the perpetual curse be upon all of their enemies until the Day of Resurrection.

And then, Allah the Highest has said in His Noble book and His established great speech:

"Glorified be He who carried His servant from Masjid al‑Haram to Masjid al‑Aqsa, the precincts of which We have blessed, so that We may show him of Our Signs. Verily He is the All‑Hearing, the All‑Seeing. "
One of the spiritual and soul inspiring events that took place during the lifetime of our distinguished Prophet Muhammad (S) was the Mi’raj. This incident is considered as one of the indisputable events of history and is a part of our religious belief. Every Muslim, in accordance with the clear verses of the Qur'an, in addition, to the reliable chains of history, believe in the Mi’raj.

In the Shi'a teachings, the belief in the Mi’raj is a part of the principal beliefs such that is has been narrated from Imam Ja'far ibn Muhammad al‑Sadiq and from Imam 'Ali ibn Musa al‑Rida that:

"One who denies (any of these) three things is not among our Shi`a (followers): the Me`raj, the questioning in the grave and ash­ Shafa`ah (intercession). "

The book that you have in your hands deals with the event of Mi’raj of the Final Prophet that this base servant, after research from various books, ahadith and reliable events of history has compiled in the form of a booklet.

My purpose for (compiling) this was to keep it condensed, since up until now, the Mi’raj of that great man (Muhammad) has not been presented in a summarized and beneficial manner. It is hoped that the dear readers will forgive the mistakes and slips of the pen.

وعلى الله الإتكال وهو حسبي ونعم الوكيل نعم المولى ونعم المصير.

Muhammad Faidh al‑Kashani

2375 reads

Ahadith, the Traditions

Among the writers of history and the elucidators of the Holy Qur` an there is a dispute in regards to the place of commencement of the Mi’raj of the Noble Prophet (S). Did it start from the house of Umm Hani (the sister of Amir al‑Mo'minin 'Ali ibn Abi Talib) or from Masjid al‑Haram ‑ since the complete city of Makkah was called and referred to as Masjid al‑Haram? From the apparent reading of the verse, it began from Masjid al‑Haram. Thus, the Mi’raj journey of the Prophet of Allah (S) was from Masjid al­-Haram to Masjid al‑Aqsa ‑ the Bayt al‑Muqaddas.

سبحان الذي أسرى

This trip ‑ meaning the Mi’raj of the Noble Prophet (S) took place at night and the meaning of Masjid al‑Aqsa (the Furthest Masjid) is the same as the Bayt al‑Muqaddas.

"By the declining star. Your companion is not in error nor has he gone astray. He does not speak out of his own desire. It is a revelation which has been revealed to him and taught to him by the Great Mighty One, the Strong One who appeared on the uppermost horizon. He then came nearer and nearer, until he was as close to Him as the distance of two bows, or even less. He revealed to Allah's servant whatever He wanted. His (Muhammad's) heart did not lie to him about what his eyes had seen. Will you then argue with him about what he saw? He certainly saw Him during his other ascent to the Lote‑tree near which is Paradise. When the tree was covered with a covering, (Muhammad's) eyes did not deceive him, nor did they lead him to falsehood. He certainly saw the greatest (signs) of the existence of his Lord. " 1

Some people say: the Mi’raj of the Prophet (S) took place during his sleep, while others say that the Mi’raj was simply spiritual. However, since the Noble Prophet (S) had mentioned that: "During the Me`raj, I met with the various Prophets; I saw the Angels; Heaven and Hell were shown to me; I was brought to the Arsh and reached to Sidratul Muntaha. I also met people in Heaven who were being showered with the blessings of Allah and also I saw people in Hell who were being punished by the harshest types of punishment; I was also informed as to why they were in such a state, "thus, it is not possible that the Prophet (S) went to the Mi’raj in the physical body made of clay (as it is not possible for the physical body to travel through these various stages).

It has been narrated from 'Ali ibn Ibrahim al‑Qummi that Imam Ja'far ibn Muhammad al‑Sadiq had said:

"Jibra'il, Mika'il and Israfil brought Buraq 2 to the Prophet (S). One of these (three) held the reigns of Buraq, while the other one held on the saddle and the third one held on to the clothing of the Prophet (S) while he was ascending it. When the Prophet (S) mounted onto the Buraq, its entire body started to tremble. Jibra'il pointed with his hand towards Buraq and told him, `O' Buraq! Keep calm! Before the Noble Prophet (S) ‑ no other Prophet has ever ridden you and after him too no one like him will ever ride upon you again."

Buraq became tranquil and took the Prophet (S) towards the heavens. Jibra'il accompanied the Prophet and pointed out the signs of Allah (SWT) in the heavens and the earth."

The Prophet of Islam (S) stated that: "We were continuing when I heard someone call me by name. I did not pay any attention to it and continued on our course. Another time, I heard someone else call me by name. Again I did not pay any attention to it. Then, I saw a woman whose hands were uncovered and all the beauties of the world were on her. She said, `O' Muhammad! Wait, I have something to say to you.' However, I paid no attention to her either. After this, I heard another sound, which really scared me. That sound too, I ignored."

"After some time, Jibra'il stopped and said to me, `Perform the Salat.' I dismounted from Buraq and performed my Salat. Jibra'il said to me, `Do you know where you just prayed?' I replied to him in the negative. He said, `In Tayyibah (Madinah), that place where your travellers will go.' After this, I got back onto Buraq and we continued on our journey."

"Once again, Jibra'il stopped us and said, `Perform the Salat.' I once again dismounted Buraq, and performed my Salat there. He asked me, `Do you know where you just prayed? It is the Mountain of Saina ‑ the place where Prophet Musa spoke to Allah (SWT).'

"Once again, I ascended Buraq and continued on my way until Allah would decree something else. Shortly afterwards, Jibra'il said, `Get down and recite a Salat.' Then again he questioned, `Do you know where you just prayed?' I replied in the negative, to which he answered, `In Bayt al‑Laham ‑ the place which is near to Bayt al‑Muqaddas ‑ and this is the place where Prophet `Isa was born.'

We reached Bayt al‑Muqaddas and I proceeded to tie the reins of Buraq to the same ring that the great Prophets (before me) used to tie their animal to. After this I entered the Masjid and it was here that I met Ibrahim, Musa, `Isa and the rest of the Prophets yes. They all gathered around me and we proceeded to get ready for Salat. I had no doubt that the Salat would be lead by Jibra'il, however when the lines for the Salat were being formed, Jibra'il placed his hand on my shoulder and pushed me forward.

Jibra'l also took part in the Salat behind me along with the various Prophets; however, this did not cause any pride or vanity in me. Following this, the custodian of the Masjid brought three vessels in front of me. In the first vessel was milk, in the second was water, and in the third one was wine. All of a sudden I heard someone say: `If he takes the vessel of water, he will perish, and his nation too will perish. If he takes the vessel of wine, he and his nation will all be lead astray. However, if he drinks the milk, then he has been guided and his nation too will be guided.' I proceeded to take the vessel containing the milk and drank from it. Jibra'il said, `Know that you have been guided and your nation too has been guided.'"

Then I was asked, `What did you see while you were on your journey?' I replied, `From my right side, I heard someone call out to me.' Jibra'il asked, `Did you reply him?' I said, `No, I did not reply.' Jibra'il told me, `That person who called you was a Jew.

Had you answered his call, then after you pass away, your nation would have changed to the religion of the Jews.'

Jibra'il then asked, `What else did you see?' I replied, `I then looked to my left and someone called me from that direction too.' Jibra'il asked, `Did you reply to that call?' I replied, `No, I did not pay any attention to him either.' Jibra'il replied, `He was one who was inviting people to the religion of Christianity. Had you paid any attention to him and replied to him, then after your death your nation would change their religion to Christianity.'

Jibra'il then asked, `Who welcomed you?' I replied, `I saw a woman whose arms were open (with no clothing on them), and upon them were various beauties of the world. She said to me, `O' Muhammad! Come near me so that I may speak with you.' Jibra'il asked, `Did you speak to her?' I replied, `No, I did not speak with her.' Jibra'il then said, `That woman was the physical manifestation of the world. If you would have answered or spoken to her, then your nation would have preferred this world over the next life.'

I said, "After that, I heard a sound that really frightened me. When I asked as to what it was, the reply came: `That sound was from a rock which had been thrown into the fire of hell seventy years ago, that just now landed in its spot and just settled.'"

It has been said that from that time on, the Prophet was never seen to laugh as long as he was alive.

"We continued our trip upwards until we reached the upper atmosphere of the world. There, I saw an angel named Isma'il. He was the custodian of Khitfah which the Qur'an explains as follows:

إِلَّا مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ

"Some of them who covertly steal words from the heavens are pursued by a glistening flame." 3

"Under the supervision of Isma'il was seventy thousand angels and under the supervision of each of these (seventy thousand) angels were another seventy thousand angels. He (Isma'il) asked Jibra'il, "Who is this person with you?" The answer was given that: "He is Muhammad" who has been raised up with The Message."

"That Angel opened the door and we entered into the heavens. I greeted him and prayed for his forgiveness. He too greeted me and prayed for my mercy. He said, `Welcome O' Brother and O' Great Prophet.' At that time a group of Angels greeted me. All of them were smiling and were cheerful; except for one of them who had a very hideous appearance (whose name is Khazin), who was upset and crying. No sign of happiness could be seen on his face.

"We were all awed by this Angel. Jibra'il said, `This Angel is the igniter of the fire of Hell. From the time that Allah (SWT) appointed him as the one who would ignite the fire of hell up until now, he has never smiled. Every day, his anger on the enemies of Allah (SWT) those who commit sins increases. It is through this Angel that Allah (SWT) will punish the sinners. If it was decreed that there should be a smile on his face, then because of you it would have been, but never has he smiled, nor will he ever ‑ neither before you nor after you.' I greeted him and he replied my greeting and he gave me the glad tidings of paradise.

Khazin asked, `Do you give me permission to show (you) the fire of Hell?' Jibra'il replied, `Yes, show the Prophet the fire of hell.' Khazin lifted up the cover of the hellfire and opened the door. Flames from the fire shot up into the sky ‑ flames that were boiling and continuously shooting up. I thought that soon the flames would come close to me. I said, `Jibra'il, tell the Angel to cover up the fire.' He gave the command and the fire went back to its place and Khazin closed the doors of hell and fire."

"Jibra'il and I continued along. On the way, we met a strong, muscular man. I asked, `Who is this person?' Jibra'il replied, `He is your father, Prophet Adam ‑ Abu al‑Bashar.' Prophet Adam (a.s) introduced his children to me and said, `A pleasing aroma is coming from your pure body.' I read the following Surah to him:

"However, the records of the deeds of the virtuous ones will certainly be in 1lliyin. Would that you knew what Illiyin is! It is a comprehensively written Book (of records). The ones nearest to God will bring it to public. The virtuous will live in bliss, reclining on couches, reviewing (the bounties given to them). You can trace on their faces the joy of their bliss. They will be given pure wine out of sealed containers which have the fragrance of musk. This is the kind of place for which one should really aspire. With the wine is a drink from a spring (Tasnim) ‑ the nearest ones to God will drink from it. 4

I greeted Prophet Adam (a.s) and prayed for his forgiveness. He too greeted me, then prayed for my forgiveness and said, `Welcome O' Prophet and O' Righteous Offspring who has been designated at a good time.'

"We continued on our way until we saw an Angel sitting down and in his hand was a tablet of light. That Angel looked at what was written on the tablet with sadness and gloom on his face and paid no attention to what was happening around him except when someone came close to him.

I asked Jibra'il, `Who is this Angel?' Jibra'il said, `This is the Angel of Death (Malak ul‑Mawt), and he is busy taking the souls (of people).' I said, `Take me closer to him.'

We went closer to him and Jibra'il introduced me to the Angel. I greeted him. He welcomed me, returned the greeting and sent salutations upon me. He said to me, `O' Muhammad give the glad tidings to your Ummah since I see good and moral works only from them.'

I thanked Allah (SWT) only because of this blessing and said to him that this was from the grace of my Lord. Jibra'il said, `The Angel of Death is the most diligent Angel when it comes to carrying out his responsibility.' I asked him, `Does `Izra'il (another name for the Angel of Death) take the soul of anyone who has died or anyone who will die?' Jibra'il replied, `Yes, it is so.'

I then asked the Angel of Death, `Do you see where the people are?' He replied, `Yes. I see then and (I also see) the entire universe which is in front of me.' The Angel of Death continued, `Allah (SWT) has given me the permission to have complete awareness over all of them. They are to me just like a dirham (coin) in the hand of a person, such that any way he wants to hold the coin, he can (so too, he has control and perception over all of Allah's creations). There is not a single house which I do not visit five times per day. I say to the people of each house, "Do not cry over your deceased because I will continuously come and go from your house, until the time comes when not a single person will remain there."'

"I asked Jibra'il, `Is death enough for the one who is facing trials and tribulations?' He replied, `After death, the trials are increased.'"

We continued on our journey until we reached a group of people, in whose hands were dishes with both good and bad food in them. However, they were eating only from the bad meat.

I asked, `Who are these people that are leaving the good food and are busy eating only the bad and putrid food?' Jibra il replied, `These are the people of your Ummah who used to eat forbidden (haram) food.'

After this, I saw an Angel whose physique was very interesting. One half of the body of this Angel was fire, and the other half of it was ice. Even stranger than this was the fact that neither the heat of the fire made the ice turn to water nor did the coldness of the ice put out the flames. With a very quiet voice he said, "I praise the One who is sufficent (to praise) such that the heat of this fire does not melt the ice, nor does the cold of the ice put out the fire. O' Allah! O' the One who has placed such a thing between the fire and ice! You (too) place agreement and love between the hearts' of Your servants!"

I asked Jibra'il concerning this Angel. He replied to me that "Allah, the Glorious and Most High, has appointed him as the Angel who will offer advice to the believers on earth and is the guardian of the heavens and earth ‑ from the time this Angel was created, he has been praying for the people on earth.

There are also two other angels in this heaven, one of them supplicates as such, `O' Allah! Whosoever gives a contribution or donation (in your way), have Mercy upon him. The other one says, `O' Allah, destroy he who is stingy and miserly!'"

Again, we continued on our way. During the journey, we approached a group of people whose lips were like the lips of a camel (large in size), and were being cut with scissors. The meat that had been cut was then forced into their mouths.

I asked, "Jibra'il, who are these people?" He replied, "These are the people who used to backbite and look for faults in their believing brothers."

I saw another group of people whose skulls were being crushed with rocks and whose brains were flowing out. I asked, ".Who are these people?" He said, "These are people who would go to sleep without having prayed Salat al‑`Isha."

I saw a group of people in which fire was being poured into their mouths and it was coming out of their rear‑ends.

I requested an explanation on who they are. Jibra'il replied, "These were people who took the property of the orphans unlawfully."

Then I saw another group of people whose stomachs were so large that they could not even get up.

I asked a question regarding these people and the answer I was given was that they were people who used to take interest, were deceived by the Devil and followed the ways of the People of Fira'un. Every morning and evening, fire is given to them. They say, "O' Allah! When will the Day of Judgement take place so that we will have some respite from this life, which is taking away our strength?"

We came across a group of women during our journey who were being hung by their chest.

I asked Jibra'il, "Who are these women?" He replied, "These are women who lied and attributed children (that they had from someone else) to their husbands and therefore claimed that these children were their inheritors.'

The Prophet of Allah said, "The harshest punishment of Allah is on that woman who attributes a child to a family who is not really from that family, simply to take control of her husband's wealth."

We proceeded from those people and arrived to a group of Angels, who Allah the Glorious and High ‑ by His own desire had created ‑ whose complete existence was spent in the glorification and remembrance of Allah (SWT).

These Angels, in a high voice, were praising and thanking the One God and out of their love and fear for Him were crying.

I asked regarding them and Jibra'il told me, "Just as you can see, each Angel is standing beside another Angel yet they do not talk to one other. Their only task is to glorify and praise Allah the High and Glorious ‑ thus they do not even look up or down."

I greeted them to which they replied by moving their head without even looking at me. Jibra'il said to them, "This is Muhammad, the seal of the Prophets and the Prophet of Mercy. He is the Leader and Master of all the Prophets. Why are you not speaking to him?" When they heard this, they greeted me, extended their respect to me and gave good tidings to me and to my Ummah."

We continued up into the second heaven. I saw two people who resembled one another. I asked, "Jibra'il, who are these two people?'

He replied, "They are Yahya and `Isa, two Prophets and cousins of one another." I greeted them both and prayed to Allah (SWT) for this forgiveness. They both greeted me back and prayed for my forgiveness; and after welcoming me said: "Welcome O' Righteous and good brother of ours!" In that place, there were also Angels present who were prostrating with humbleness and humility. Allah (SWT) the Almighty had created them in various forms, and in various voices they were busy in praising and glorifying Allah."

We then went up into the third heaven. It was there that I saw a man who had more excellence and virtues than anyone else I had seen. He was a person who was glowing just like the moon on the 10 of a month.

I asked Jibra'il, "Who is he?" He replied, "This is your brother Yusuf" I greeted him and prayed for his forgiveness. He returned my greeting and prayed for my mercy and said, "Welcome O' my brother, O' Prophet with exemplary morals who has been sent down at a good and appropriate time." At this place, there were also Angels present who in all humility, were prostrating and busy in the remembrance of Allah (SWT). I was introduced to them and just like the other Angels they too treated me with great respect.

Following this, we continued up to the fourth heaven. There I saw a person and asked Jibra'il, "Who is he?" He replied: "This is Idris, the one whom Allah the Great, brought up to a high station." I greeted him and prayed for his forgiveness; he too prayed for my forgiveness. In this heaven too there were Angels who like in the previous heavens gave me good tidings. I then saw another Angel who was leaning against a throne and had seventy thousand Angels under his command. In a loud voice, Jibra'il called out to him to stand ‑ he obeyed and stood up and until the Day of Judgement, he will remain in that state."

We reached the fifth heaven where I saw a tall man, and up until now, I had not seen someone like him. He had large eyes and was very old. His nation (Ummah) was surrounding him.

I asked Jibra'il, "Who is this man?" He said: "This is Harun ‑ the son of `Imran ‑ who had gained the approval of his nation. I greeted him as well and prayed to Allah for his forgiveness. He too greeted me and prayed for my forgiveness. In this heaven as well there .were Angels who in all humility and humbleness, were busy in the praise of Allah (SWT)."

We continued on towards the higher heaven. In the sixth heaven I saw a very tall man whose body was covered in hair, such that if he were to wear a shirt, the hair would come out of it.

The man said, "The Bani Isra'il say that I am the best of the children of Islam in the sight of Allah (SWT), however this man, the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) is much better and beneficent in the sight of Allah (SWT) than I am."

I greeted him and prayed for his forgiveness; he replied to my greeting and prayed for my forgiveness. In this place as well, Angels in humility and humbleness were busy praising Allah (SWT), just as in the previous heavens.

We then reached a man whose hair colour was a mix of black and white. I asked Jibra'il, "Who is this man sitting at the door of Bayt al‑Ma'mur, near Allah?" 6 Jibra'il replied, "He is your father, Prophet Ibrahim, and your house is in this place as well as a group of people from your Ummah who have Taqwa." At that'time, I read the following verse of the Qur'an:

In the seventh heaven I saw rivers of light, such that the light that was coming from them made the eyes blind. Rivers of Darkness were also there that were covered over with ice and the sound of thunder crashing could be heard. I was busy looking at these rivers when Jibra'il said to me, "O' Muhammad ‑ be thankful to Allah (SWT) for the graces and bounties that have been chosen for you."

I prayed, "O' Allah by the truth of Your Power and Glory, keep my faith firm." Then I said to Jibra'il, "This is a beautiful and amazing scene." He replied, "This is just a portion of the creations of your Lord ‑ the Creator who has created everything ‑ some of which you have seen and some of which you have not even yet seen.

Jibra'il continued by saying, "Between Allah and His creations, there exists 90,000 layers of concealment and the closest of creations to Allah are Isra'fil and myself; and between Allah and us exist four veils: Light, Darkness, Cloud and Water."

The most amazing creation that I had witnessed on the Mi’raj was a being whose feet were on the seventh ground and whose body continued upwards, such that his head was above in the High Throne, under the command of Allah (SWT).

There was also an Angel whose feet were on the seventh ground and whose body continued upwards until his head reached to the High Throne."

We continued on our path until we reached to the end of the seventh heaven. It was there at the end of the heaven that we witnessed the Throne of Allah (SWT). Here I saw an Angel who was glorifying Allah (SWT) such:

سبحان ربي حيث ما كنت لا تدري أين ربُك من العظيم شأنه.

"Wherever I may be, glory is to my Lord. I do not know where your Lord is due to His great status. "

This Angel had two wings such that if they were to spread open, it would cover the east to the west of the Universe. Every morning he would open up his wings, rest against something and cry out such:

"Glory be to Allah, the King, the Holy. Glory be to Allah, the Great, the Most High. There is no god except Allah, the Living and Self­ Subsisting. "
Whenever the Angel would say this tasbih, all the peacocks that are on the Earth would start to praise Allah (SWT) and open their wings up in respect (of Allah ).

Whenever this Angel in the heaven would become quiet, the peacocks on the Earth would become quiet. The Angel in the heaven had green hair and white wings ‑ so white that no one has ever seen anything that white before. Under its green hair, there are white wings which are very beautiful ‑ the green which until now has never been seen before."

Along with Jibra'il, we entered into Bayt al‑Ma'mur. A group of my friends were with me all of whom were wearing new clothing. Others from amongst them were wearing old clothing, and when they tried to enter this area, they were prevented. Only those who were wearing new clothing were permitted to enter with me into Bayt al‑Ma'mur. In this place, I performed a two Rak'at Salat, and then left.

Two rivers passed by me ‑ one was al‑Kawthar and the other was the river of Mercy. I drank from the river of al‑Kawthar and performed a Ghusl with the river of Mercy. I was then guided to enter into Paradise. In one area of Paradise, I saw my house and that of my wife. The ground and the dirt of Paradise had the smell of Musk and Amber. In the rivers of Paradise, I saw a servant of Allah who was bathing. I asked her, "O' servant! Who are you for?" She replied to me, "I am (here) for Zaid ibn Harith." When I saw Zaid (after this event), I gave him the good tidings of this.

"The birds of Paradise were as the camels of Khurasan (in size). The pomegranates that were hanging on the trees were so large and glowing and incomparable to anything else. It was here that I saw a huge tree such that if a bird were to fly around it for seven hundred years, he would still not be able to go around the entire tree. In Paradise, there is not a single house in which one of the branches of this tree does not cover. I asked Jibra'il regarding this tree an he told me, "This is the tree of Tuba about which, Allah has said in the Qur'an:

Thus this tree of Tuba is in Paradise and all of the houses in there are under (the shade) of this tree.

I asked Jibra'il concerning all the wonderful things that we had witnessed including the rivers, and those things which frightened me, and he replied, "These are all various levels of veils which are placed between Allah (SWT) the High and His creations. If these curtains were not there, then the Throne of Allah would have been visible however, it is not possible for any of His creations to see His Light (Nur).'"

We reached to an area known as Sidratul Muntaha. We saw a place where there was a tree whose one leaf would be able to cover an entire nation. Then we went to that place known (in the Qur'an) as: `...So he was the measure of two bows or closer still." 9

Allah (SWT) called out:

آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ

"The Prophet believes in that which His Lord has revealed unto him. "10

"Our Lord do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people. " 11

Imam Ja'far as‑Sadiq, has said, "Never has anyone more noble than the Prophet of Islam (S) attained the honour of such closeness."

The Prophet of Islam (S) asked from Allah (SWT) for his `Ummah such: "O' Allah! Whatever specialties you have given to your prophets, also bestow upon me." Allah replied, "I give you the following two supplications which are under My Throne:"

لاحول ولا قوة إلا بالله – لا منجا منك إلا إليك

"There is no power or strength save with Allah ‑ there is no saviour for you except from Him."

"O' Allah! Verily I appeal for relief from my oppression through Your pardon, and I appeal for relief from my sins through Your forgiveness, and I appeal for relief from my own insignificance through your Everlasting Countenance which will never cease to exist. "

Thereafter, I heard the sound of the Adhan. An Angel in the heavens was busy reciting this Adhan. And up until now, 1 had not heard the Adhan being called out from the heavens. When he said:

الله أكبر الله أكبر

Allah is greater than any words that can describe Him.

Allah is greater than any words That can describe Him.

Allah said, "My servant has spoken the truth. I am the Greatest."

The Angel then said:

أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله

I bear witness that there is no creature worthy of worship except Allah.

I bear witness that there is no creature worthy of worship except Allah.

Allah said, "My servant has spoken the truth, other than Me there is no other god."

The call of:

أشهد أن محمد رسول الله أشهد أن محمد رسول الله

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

was then heard.

Allah (SWT) said, "My servant has spoken the truth. Muhammad is My Servant and Prophet. I have appointed him as a Prophet."

The Muaddhin then said:

حيَّ على الصلاة حيَّ على الصلاة

Hasten towards the Salat.

Hasten towards the Salat.

Allah (SWT) said, "My servant has spoken the truth ‑ he has invited others to worship Me. Whomsoever comes towards the Salat with complete love and with full accountability, (the Salat) will be a kaffarah for his previous sins."

The Muaddhin then said,

حيَّ على الفلاح حيَّ على الفلاح

Hasten towards salvation.

Hasten towards salvation.

Allah (SWT) said, `Salat is the means of success of my Servants. Salat is the key to success, salvation and truthfulness of My servants. '' 12

Here I led the Angels of Paradise in Salat just as in Bayt al ­Muqaddas I led the previous Prophets in Salat. When I went into Sajdah, Allah called out, "I had made fifty Salat for each day incumbent upon the Prophets who came before you; and upon you and your Ummah, I make these incumbent too for these fifty Salat I have confirmed."

After the Salat, I continued on my back and while on the path, I met Prophet Ibrahim al‑Khalil. He did not ask me a single question.

Then I met Musa ibn `Imran. He asked me, "O' Muhammad what did you do?" I replied, "My Allah told me that he had made fifty daily Salat obligatory on the Prophets before me, and upon me and my Ummah too, He has made this amount obligatory."

Prophet Musa (a.s) said to me, "O' Muhammad! Your Nation is the final and the weakest of all the Nations. Allah's commands must be followed, however your Nation does not have the ability to perform fifty daily Salat; thus, return to Allah and request Him to lighten the load on your Ummah."

I returned to Sidratul Muntaha and fell into prostration. I said, "O' Allah! You have made fifty daily Salat obligatory on my Ummah and me. However, my Ummah and I do not have the ability to perform this much. From your Holy Presence, I request a reduction in this."

Allah, Glorious and High ‑ reduced the number of Salat by ten.

I returned back and informed Musa (a.s) what happened. He replied, "Go back as they do not have the power to perform even this much."

I returned once again, and Allah reduced the number of Salat by ten. I was going back when Musa (a.s.) said, "Still they do not have the ability to perform even this."

I once again returned, fell into sajdah, and asked for a reduction in the Salat. Allah once more reduced the number by ten.

I returned to where Musa (a.s.) was and told him what happened. Again he said to me, "Go back since they will not be able to even handle this."

I once again returned, fell into sajdah and again asked Allah for a reduction in the Salat. I said, "O' Allah, my Nation is weak and they will not have the ability to handle even this." Allah reduced the Salat by ten more. From a total of fifty Salat, only ten were made obligatory.

Again, I passed by Musa (a.s.) and he said, "Your Ummah does not have the ability to even handle ten Salat."

For the last time I returned and fell into sajdah. Allah reduced the Salat by five. I went to where Musa was and he said to me, "Your Ummah does not even have the ability to perform five daily Salat." I said to him, "I am embarrassed to go back to Allah again. I will just be patient in relation to these five Salat."

Then I heard a voice that said, "Since you have had patience, these five Salat will be counted as fifty Salat. Each Salat will be counted as ten Salat, and if one person from your Ummah performs a good act, then ten good acts will be written for him, but if he performs one bad act, then only that one bad act will be written in his record."

Imam Ja'far as‑Sadiq had said, "May Allah give Musa (a.s.) great reward since because of him, the daily (obligatory) Salat were reduced to only five."

In the book `Amali' by Shaikh as‑Saduq (may Allah raise his rank), it has been narrated that Imam Ja'far as‑Sadiq had said, "When the Prophet along with Jibra'il mounted onto Buraq, one of the horses of Paradise ‑ to go on the Mi’raj, they first went to Bayt al‑Muqaddas. The Mehrab (prayer Niche) of the previous Prophets was shown to the Holy Prophet, and he also performed Salat there.

After the Mi’raj, the Prophet (S) once again returned to Bayt al­ Muqaddas and there he met up with a Caravan from the tribe of Quraish. This group has lost one of their camels and was busy searching for it.

The Prophet asked them for a glass of water, drank some of it and poured the rest of it on the ground. Finally, he returned to Makkah.

When the morning came, he told the Quraish: "In the night, Allah took me to Bayt al‑Muqaddas and in that land, He showed me the after effects and the houses of the previous Prophets. On my return, I met up with a Caravan from the Quraish who had lost one of their camels; I requested a glass of water from them of which I drank some of it, and the rest I poured onto the ground."

Abu Jahl (L) who was one of the staunch enemies of the Noble Prophet said: "Ask him (the Prophet) how many pillars, lights and Mehrabs are in Bayt al‑Muqaddas."

At that time, Jibra'il came to the Prophet (S) and placed an image of Bayt al‑Muqaddas in front of him, with which he was able to answer all the questions posed to him. When the people of the Quraish heard this, they said, "Let us wait until the Caravan returns and we can ask them."

The Prophet replied to them, "The Caravan will return to Makkah around the time of sunrise and in front of the Caravan will be an exquisite looking camel."

Once the morning came, everyone was in anticipation for the Caravan to arrive. They said, "The sun is rising but the Caravan still has not arrived!" Just as this was said and the sun began to rise above the horizon, the Caravan appeared. At the head of the Caravan, the same beautiful looking camel that the Prophet had mentioned, could be seen. 13

In the book Kashf al‑Ghummah, it has been narrated from `Abdullah ibn `Umar that: "I heard someone ask the Prophet of Allah (SWT), `With what voice did Allah, the Glorified and High, speak to you in on the night of the Mi’raj?"

The Prophet replied, "My Lord spoke to me with the voice of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) and said, `O' Ahmad! I am an Entity that is not like anything else. I can not be compared to anything else and I know all the secrets of your heart. With the exception of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) , you have no other close friend. Thus, I speak to you with the voice of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) so that your heart will be at ease.""

11. This supplication that the Prophet (S) prayed in the Mi’raj for his Ummah is also the last verse of Surah al‑Baqarah. The nations before used to get severe punishments and were not given a chance to repent as mercifully as the followers of the Prophet Muhammad are and this is due to the supplication of the Prophet for his Ummah during this holy journey. (Tr.)

12. The Adhan as has been mentioned in this hadith which is also found in various books including Bihar al‑Anwar is `incomplete' according to the ahadith from the Prophet and A'immah who have taught us how the Adhan must be performed and as has been detailed in the various books of Fiqh and Ahkam by our `Ulama. Various copies of Bihar al‑Anwar were checked and all narrated the incident the same way. Thus, it is possible that the entire hadith has not been narrated completely from the Prophet or because the books of ahadith of the Ahl al‑Bayt have been constantly under attack and desecration in the past by tyrant governments, the entire hadith may have been lost. (Tr. ‑ as answered by the office of the Grand Marja ` Ayatullah al‑ Uzma Hajn Nasir Makarim Shirazi)